The Icewalker and the Ninja of Justice
by gauchadeutsche
Summary: Another Katara/Zuko Secret Santa Prompt, 2013 edition. Katara and Zuko meet in Ba Sing Se as children. AU - short, connected snapshots from the same universe.
1. Chapter 1

Hello again! I thought I was all done with the Zutara Secret Santa, at least until next December, but as it turns out, I'm not. So...I had a new set of prompts for a new lovely person, and I chose #2, which was Zuko and Katara meeting as kids in Ba Sing Se. Dear Sassycat2, I am terribly sorry that this is so late, and I hope you like it and have a wonderful day!

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**The Icewalker and the Ninja of Justice**

_BA SING SE_

_Year 91 A.S.C. (After Sozin's Comet)_

The warm spring sun is shining down on the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se. The scent of blooming flowers is heavy, and the streets quiet as the most important people in the city meet with the Earth King. The little boy dressed in drab browns jumps from corner to corner, practicing his stealth. He carries wooden swords and a small pack.

A slight giggle draws his attention, and he turns to the nearest public fountain. There is a girl there, a girl dressed in blue. She's playing with the water.

The boy gets an idea. He'll test himself, see if he can be as quiet as a cat, and sneak up on her.

Closer he comes, on his tiptoes. He reaches out his hand, ready to poke the strange girl on the shoulder.

"Aaah!" she cries, twisting to look at him with wide blue eyes. "Who are you?"

"I'm Zuko," he answers, grinning. "Sorry if I scared you."

She puffs up, indignant. "I wasn't scared! I am Katara of the Water Tribe and I'm scared of no one!"

"Oh really?" Zuko says, raising an eyebrow. She doesn't look older than five.

"Yeah, really!" Katara replies. "I am the Icewalker, Mistress of Snow!"

"That's a cool title," the boy tells her, sitting by the fountain. "What's snow?"

The little girl's jaw drops. "You don't know what snow is?"

Zuko shrugs. "We don't have any in the Fire Nation."

"Oh, it's the funnest thing ever! You can make snowmen, have snowball fights, go penguin sledding, make forts," Katara grins brightly. "I'll show you some, watch!"

To Zuko's surprise and delight, the five-year-old reaches out to the fountain and pulls up a thin stream of water. With a practiced flick of her wrist, the drops fly up into the air, and come back down as snowflakes. The firebender watches them fall, sticking out his hand to catch one.

"Wow!"

"I don't know how to do a lot of things, because I just started my lessons," Katara confesses, "but I can freeze water and unfreeze it, and sometimes I can move it, too."

To demonstrate further, she reaches into the fountain and cups water in both hands. As she pulls her arms up, the water solidifies into a ball.

"This is a snowball," Katara explains, giving it to Zuko. "We have the best snowball fights at home, with gloves on so we don't get sick. What do you do for fun?"

"I'm a firebender," Zuko replies, "but I'm not very good yet. My little sister is five and she's already better than me."

He can't hide the tinge of bitterness in that last sentence. His father is not a patient man.

"I've never seen firebending before, can you show me?" Katara asks, her eyes alive with interest.

Zuko has never had such a rapt audience, except perhaps his mother.

"Alright then," he agrees, and punches a small ball of fire over the fountain. Prince Ozai would have called it pathetic; Katara is enthralled.

"Wow, that's amazing! Do it again!"

He does, his ears turning pink from the praise.

"I'm also a ninja," he confides, pointing to his outfit. "I blend into the shadows and bring justice with my blades," Zuko adds, taking out his wooden swords and swinging them.

"Aren't ninjas bad?" Katara asks, frowning. "Don't they kill people?"

"The bad ninjas do," Zuko answers quickly. "I'm a good ninja. I protect the Fire Nation from evil people by defeating them in combat and throwing them in jail."

"Oh," Katara replies, pondering this. "Alright, then."

"Do you want to join me on my crusade for justice?" the prince offers, hesitant.

Katara doesn't know what crusade means, but she does need a playmate for when Sokka stays home to pig out.

"Okay!"

Zuko smiles. "Let's go, then. I'll teach you how to walk without making noises, and we can fight evil with swords and fire and ice."

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I was having so much fun with this prompt that I accidentally turned it into a multichapter...so, there will be more snapshots of Zuko and Katara, all belonging to this same AU. The war is over and Iroh is the Fire Lord, if you must know.

Feedback is always welcome!


	2. Chapter 2

**A Dagger at the Circus**

_BA SING SE_

_Year 92 A.S.C. (After Sozin's Comet)_

A year after their first meeting, Prince Zuko and Katara meet again. This time they're with their families, enjoying the Earth King's private circus. Sokka sits next to Katara, eating some sort of fried dough covered in sweet syrup. Her eyes scan the tent; she sees familiar golden eyes and waves brightly.

As the trapeze act finishes, Zuko comes over, dragging his elegant mother and his scowling little sister.

"Katara!" he calls excitedly. She jumps off her seat and hugs him, earning a stern glance from her father and a fond smile from his mother.

"Chief Hakoda, Lady Kya," greets the Princess. "I've heard a great deal about your daughter from my son."

"Likewise," replies Kya. "I'm glad the children have someone their age to play with. Sokka, stop eating for a moment and say hello."

The seven-year-old obeys, scowling. He really does like Earth Kingdom food.

"This is Azula, my youngest," Princess Ursa tells them. The little girl stays silent.

"We should schedule some playdates," Kya suggests, and the adults chat amongst themselves while Zuko shows Katara his latest toy, a lovely wooden dagger carved by his cousin. Sokka looks on with interest.

"I asked Lu Ten to make one for you," Zuko confesses, taking another dagger out of his pocket. "I know you've got your bending, but it's always good to have another skill."

"Daggers are for boys!" Sokka protests, trying to snatch it out of his sister's hand. "Everyone knows that!"

"It's _mine_!" Katara cries, hiding it behind her back. "Get your own!"

"Yeah, Lu Ten made it for her. If you want one I'm sure my cousin can make it, when he's not in the meetings."

Appeased, Sokka agrees. "Maybe we can practice with them when I have one?"

Zuko smiles.

Standing next to him, Azula scoffs and mutters about 'weapons' being for lesser beings who can't bend.

The other three ignore her, now trading stories as they eat Sokka's food.

That year, Zuko visits the Water Tribe family's assigned house every day. By the end of the conference, Zuko and Sokka are comrades and sparring partners, and Zuko and Katara are thick as thieves. They promise to write letters this time, after the conference ends and they go home.

Katara sleeps with the lovely wooden dagger under her pillow; it's not because she's in danger, but because she misses her friend. She dreams of a boy and a girl, having adventures in a large city under the stars.


	3. Chapter 3

**Happy Birthday**

_SOUTHERN WATER TRIBE_

_Year 95 A.S.C. (After Sozin's Comet)_

A week after her ninth birthday, Katara receives a letter. It's not the first, but each one sends the same jolt of excitement through her. It's lovely to have a pen-pal, even if his letters are a strange mix of friendly chatter and Fire Nation formality.

_Dear Katara,_

_Thanks for your letter. My arm is finally healing and I've started my lessons again with Master Piandao. He's the best sword master in the Fire Nation, and a good friend of my uncle's. I also mastered the reverse dragon kick in my firebending lessons, so I've had a great week._

_Happy birthday! Did you do anything special, like a party or something? For royal birthdays we usually have a big, boring banquet for the whole court, and then there are fireworks and everyone that wants to suck up to my uncle the Fire Lord brings gifts. It's not very fun, except for the gifts, but at least everyone has to be nice to you that day, and you're excused from lessons._

_In answer to your question, yes, I'm keeping up with my stealth training. Father doesn't approve, but you never know when it could come in handy. I haven't sent any real criminals to jail yet, but my cousin Lu Ten lets me practice my moves on him. I can sneak up on him everywhere, and he's always surprised._

_Please send my regards to your family, and thank Sokka for those fun prank ideas. Write back soon!_

_Yours respectfully,_

_Zuko, Prince of the Fire Nation_


	4. Chapter 4

**A Spar By the Fountain**

_BA SING SE_

_Year 99 A.S.C. (After Sozin's Comet)_

Once again, the delegates return to Ba Sing Se for the yearly trade talks. Katara and Zuko meet at their favorite park, by the fountain where they first talked, so many years ago.

"There you are!" cries the girl, running to Zuko for a hug. "You missed the banquet last night!"

"I know," he answers, and Katara marvels at how much his voice has deepened. He is fifteen, of course; it was bound to happen sooner or later. "Grandmother was ill, and Father insisted on staying until she got better."

"Well," she says, still wrapped in his arms, "I'm glad you finally came. I've been waiting."

Zuko turns pink. He hasn't seen Katara for a year, and she's turning into quite the young lady. She has curves at thirteen that weren't there at twelve, and her big blue eyes are as enchanting as ever. The Fire Nation has no one like her.

"Should we spar?" he offers as they separate. They're too old for the childish games that first brought them together, but their bending gives them plenty to do as the adults have their trade talks.

Katara agrees readily.

"Go easy on me," Zuko jokes, "I know you're an official waterbending master now, but I'm still learning."

The waterbender grins. Unlike the men back home, Zuko has never thought less of her for being female. He knows women can bend as well as men, especially with a prodigy for a sister.

They face each other, and Katara strikes first, pulling a large stream of water out of the fountain. Her water whip has grown considerably, and between formulating his move and ducking out of the way, Zuko is proud of his friend. The punch he fires back is fast and powerful.

On they go, using ice and fire and water. As the spar progresses, Zuko becomes more fluid in his movements, adapting to the waterbender's style. Katara's attacks become quicker and sharper, more like a firebender's. Zuko's last punch turns Katara's water scalding, so she bends it out of the way.

They're a meter apart, breathing hard. It's hand-to-hand combat now, and Zuko suddenly jerks a leg around and under, sweeping Katara off her feet. She lands with a grunt, but not before pulling Zuko down with her.

"Oof," she wheezes, breathless.

"Sorry," the prince tells her. "You did trip me though."

"Yeah, I should have thought about where you'd land," Katara admits, giggling.

Her hair is an absolute mess. The thick, dark tresses have fallen out of her plait, and the heat and humidity of the city make it wilder than usual. Her eyes shine with happiness, and Zuko thinks he's never seen a prettier sight.

Their faces are inches apart. Too far.

Zuko bends down, capturing her lips with his own. It's a first kiss between old friends, sweet and chaste and short, but both teens are rosy-cheeked when it ends. He doesn't really want to, but Zuko pulls away and helps Katara to her feet.

"Thanks for the spar," Katara says shyly, tucking a hair loopie behind her ear. Her face is still pink, but she looks happy.

"You're welcome," the prince replies, and his voice is deeper than usual. "Same time tomorrow?"

"Yeah," the girl agrees. "I could use the practice."

Zuko is not sure if she means kissing or sparring; either way, he doesn't mind.


End file.
